Relearning How to Care for Myself with Ankylosing Spondylitis
This blog is a personal reflection on where I’m at in my health journey with Ankylosing Spondylitis and Crohn’s. Even though things are going well on paper, I’ve been feeling out of sync — physically, mentally, and emotionally. I talk about the importance of coming back to the basics, staying humble in what we think we know, and how support and fresh perspective.
This also applies to Axial Spondyloarthritis (axSpA), Spondylitis, and any other form of Spondyloarthritis.
Contents
Introduction: When “Better” Isn’t the Whole Story
2. Not Just Tired — Fatigued
3. Two Full-Time Jobs, No Time to Breathe 4. I Know This Work Because I Live It
5. Sometimes It’s Not About Doing More
6. You Climb One Mountain...
7. Working With Alex — A New Chapter
8. What’s Next
9. Final Thoughts
When “Better” Isn’t the Whole Story
Hey everyone — Jamie here.
With it being Arthritis Awareness Month, I wanted to share something a bit more personal.
For the past couple of years, something hasn’t quite felt right.
From the outside, things have looked good: I’ve been active, managing my AS and Crohn’s well, and I’m in clinical remission. I’ve kept up with teaching, skating, running Yoga for AS full-time, and working in person with people with arthritis. Compared to where I was when I was first diagnosed — it’s night and day. I put my Crohn’s into remission through years of work, and I’m proud of that. But lately, I’ve realised something: just because I’m doing better than I was, doesn’t mean I’m thriving.
Not Just Tired — Fatigued
Over time, I started feeling more and more fatigued. Not just end-of-the-day tiredness, but that deep, bone-heavy fatigue that sleep doesn’t touch. It wasn’t a flare. It wasn’t inflammation. It was burnout. From doing too much, giving too much, and not slowing down enough to ask myself what I really needed.
Two Full-Time Jobs, No Time to Breathe
Over the past year, I’ve essentially been doing two full-time jobs just to stay afloat — working in person (including with people with arthritis), and running Yoga for AS. I love Yoga for AS — it’s meaningful, it’s connected, and it’s what I’ve dedicated my life to. But trying to do both at once caught up with me. I wasn’t feeling like myself. The energy I was pouring out wasn’t being refilled. That’s why I’m now choosing to go all in on what matters most — to give Yoga for AS the focus it truly deserves, and to support my own health in the process.
I Know This Work Because I Live It
For nearly a decade, I’ve been immersed in health and chronic illness — professionally and personally. I studied modules in nutrition and strength & conditioning at university. I’m a PT, a certified Level 3 Yoga for Arthritis teacher, and I’ve spent countless hours in training, studying gut health, functional and holistic health, health optimisation, nervous system regulation, and more. I’ve worked with hundreds and hundreds of people living with AS, and through that, I’ve learned so much.
And yet — despite all of that — walking the walk isn’t always easy. Even with everything I know, even with all I teach, even with all the people I’ve supported — I still drift. I still overwork. I still forget to check in with myself.
Sometimes It’s Not About Doing More
Sometimes it’s about taking things away:
The hustle
The constant output
The noise of city life
The pressure to be constantly "on"
And returning to the things I know support me:
Sustainable movement
Food that truly nourishes
Sleep that restores
Nervous system support
Slower, restorative yoga
It’s also about paying attention to belief systems — the way I identify with my health, my past, and my capacity. The mind-body connection isn’t just important, it’s foundational. We become the stories we tell ourselves.
Geoff, who is and continues to be a great support in my life and of course Yoga for AS, has taught me a lot about the power and importance of self-care. He’s someone I look to as a reminder of what it means to genuinely walk the walk and not bury your head in the sand when things feel off. His grounded approach and honesty around managing life with AS has helped reinforce the idea that it's okay to slow down, reassess, and make changes.
You Climb One Mountain...
There’s a phrase I keep coming back to: Comparison is the thief of joy.
Sometimes we compare where we are now to the worst it’s ever been. And sure — I’m doing better. But that doesn’t mean I feel great. And just because I’m out of the woods doesn’t mean I’m at the summit.
You climb one mountain, and see there’s another.
Sometimes, you realise you’re on the wrong mountain altogether. And it takes humility to come down and start again. That’s life. That’s the work.
Working With Alex — A New Chapter
Lately, I’ve started working with a friend of mine, Alex Savi. He lives with AS too, and brings a fresh, functional lens to gut health and inflammation. It’s early days, but already his insights have been powerful. He’s helping me look at things I’d stopped seeing. Support matters!
Even when you know a lot, a different perspective can unlock something new. And just because I help others doesn’t mean I shouldn’t have support too.
If you want to check out Alex’s work, visit alexsavihealth.com. I really recommend it.
What’s Next
At the end of May, I’m leaving London. I’m giving myself six months to slow down, recalibrate, and invest fully in my health. To walk the walk properly. To create space.
I’ll still be running Yoga for AS with Geoff — but with more intention, more balance, and, in fact, more focus. Stepping back in some ways is what will allow us to step forward in others — to scale thoughtfully and have a bigger impact where it truly matters.
If you want to follow along, find me on Instagram and TikTok: @jamieboder.
Final Thoughts
This isn’t about starting from scratch. It’s about returning to what matters.
Even with everything I know, I forget. I drift. I overdo it. And that’s okay.
If you’re in remission but still feel off — I see you.
If you’ve made progress but want more — you’re allowed.
If you’re "doing fine" but something feels off — that matters.
